In the News

Residents push for water fix - London Towne wells show chemical traces

By E.B. FURGURSON III Staff Writer

Private testing begun in April indicates low levels of hexavalent chromium a known carcinogen in two wells, plus high levels of lead and the gasoline additive MTBE in others, according to copies of the results provided to The Capital.

"We are entitled to clean water," London Towne resident Jean Werfel told the County Council recently. "Our system has let us down ... We need water."

Hexavalent chromium is used in electroplating, leather tanning, wood preserving and textile manufacture. It is also found where chromium waste and fly ash from electric utilities are disposed of, according to the the Centers for Disease Control.

Armed with the test results, a handful of residents also has asked a law firm to investigate the contamination.

Not just any firm. Masry and Vititoe is the California firm famous for winning the biggest settlement in a case involving toxic pollution and spawning the movie, "Erin Brockovich."

Under testing done on eight homes by the independent National Testing Laboratories of Cleveland, one home reported .026 parts of hexavalent chromium per million per liter, while another showed .016 parts per million.

The results are well below the federal standard for hexavalent chromium also called chromium 6 that triggers an investigation, .1 part per million per liter.

"Those figures do not represent anything of an alarming nature," said Tom Gruver, water program director for the Health Department.

That's little reassurance for Kathy Giuffreda, whose 47-footdeep well on Potomac Road showed .016 parts per million of chromium 6. Mrs. Giuffreda worried about going public, wondering about the effect news of tainted water would have on property values. The second homeowner, with worse contamination in a deeper well, asked not to be identified.

"I got to the point that I don't care about property values. If there are people dying or sick, that is more important than the value of my house," Mrs. Giuffreda said.

She and a handful of neighbors hired civil engineer Stephen Rogers of Annapolis several months ago to investi gate the potential problem and conduct the well tests.

He said he sent letters to county health and Department of Public Works officials beginning in July noting the test results. "There could be damages here. The county has known about this and done nothing," Mr. Rogers said.

Many wells in London Towne are susceptible to the pollution accumulated in groundwater over past generations, he said. The Aquia aquifer that serves the community doesn't have a solid layer of clay to protect it, so chemicals and other contaminants can seep into the water.

He contacted Masry and Vititoe, which has not signed an agreement to represent the residents.

Jim Drury, environmental specialist for the firm, said any presence of chromium 6 is serious.

He is convinced there must be a constant source of of the chemical, which rarely occurs in nature. When it does, it quickly degrades to a less dangerous form of the chemical.

Testing completed last week found chromium which could indicate Chromium 6 in two more homes, including one that had the highest level yet .044.

"So the fact that hexavalent was detected means there has to be a steady source," Mr. Drury said.

Hexavalent chromium is used in electroplating, leather tan ning, wood preserving and tex tile manufacture. It is also found where chromium waste and fly ash from electric utilities are disposed of, according to the the Centers for Disease Control.

Where that potential source is, no one knows.

Part of the fear comes from a purported cancer cluster in the neighborhood; a handful of children have been afflicted by a rare form of leukemia. Residents' suspicions about the water were not allayed when the county Health Department concluded the cases did not constitute a cluster and could find no common link.

On Monday, the County Council will consider changes in the Water and Sewer Master Plan that would designate the neighborhood as in line for planned water service at the request of County Executive Janet S. Owens. A vote is poss ible if there are no amendments.

The change was prompted by the completion of a water main loop crossing the South River and a request for service by the Safeway on Mayo road and Johnson's Lumber.

Residents of London Towne would still have to petition for water, conceivably a two-year process. If more than 50 percent of approximately 2,100 property owners go for it, and agree to pay the approximately $3,800 to hook up, plus a front-foot assessment fee and usage bills, then the community will get water in three to four years.

No petition for water service has been organized.

If, however, dangerous levels of contaminants turn up and the Health Department declares a health emergency, residents might be able to get water faster. The project would become a capital improvement shared by all water users in the county.

"'We don't know what else to do," said Joe Giuffreda, Kathy's husband. "We will just leave it up to the lawyers now."

"We just need some help," his wife said.

A community meeting will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 11 to discuss this and other water issues. Thomas Miller, regional extension specialist from the University of Maryland, will speak.

pfurgurson@capitalgazette.com